League of Legends part 2
by Lord Zant
Summary: Ash, May, and the gang, both old and new, have been swept up in a conflict for the fate of the world. Oh, they're also falling in love. And what is this about History Re-Enactors and Aura users? Advanceshipping, minor Max x Dawn shipping.
1. Chapter 1

League of Legends: Formation and Rescue

This following summary of what happened in the previous fic' is for anyone who: didn't read it, Read it as it was posted (I'd forgotten most of it, too), or only read the version posted here.

So, basically, Ash Ketchum won the Johto League Championship, by defeating his former companion, Max, in the final round. At the same time, May and Dawn were competing over the Kanto Grand Festival. They ended in a tie, set to be broken several weeks later.

After these events, May and Dawn decided to go out to grab some grub, when May said that she'd like to invite her brother, as well. Dawn agreed, on the terms that she could bring someone too. Guess who Dawn picked…

If you guessed Brock, you were wrong. If you guessed Paul, or Kenny, you were also wrong. However, if you guessed Ash, I applaud you. That would be correct, after all.

So basically, Ash, Dawn, Max, and May were set to meet for dinner. May and Ash had had a rather large row a few years previous about Drew, so they were not at all friends at this point. However, this all changed as they met for dinner, and later for ice cream – they reconciled, and May almost immediately began to try to catch Ash's eye. To make a long story short, after an encounter with Manaphy, and several deep talks, and even prompting from others, they shared a night alone, and made their feelings clear. (Keep your minds out of the gutter – it never rose above a teen rating…) However, shortly after making their feelings known, Ash was confronted by Mewtwo, and called away on a quest. Alone. You know, without his new, confused, GF.

Then, like 6 months later, they meet again, due to a hostage situation involving a mysterious evil organization, and a few legendary Pokemon. This sparks even more emotional confusion in the both of them. To make matters even worse, they get separated again, and Ash is picked up by a shipful of historical re-enactors. (Their specialty is Pirates!) Ash decides to go on with his mission, rather than contact May again, but she calls him, triangulates his signal with Max's help, and sets her course in the same direction, with Misty, Tracey, Brock, Max, and Dawn in tow.

So, to summarize this summary, Ash is confused about his feelings for May, May is confused about her feelings for Ash, Max and Dawn are becoming "very good friends," and the pirate re-enactors have landed outside Petalburg woods, the location of one of the "secret organization's" hideouts. A ferocious and long battle within the forest's boundaries is about to begin. Thus, let Arc II… Begin. :P

Oh, false alarm. I have to admit that I do not, in fact, own Pokemon. I just play with them at a far-too-old age... But it keeps me feeling youthfulish I guess, even though I'm technically still a youth anyways.

Chapter 1: Infiltration

The brush snapped and popped as two figures clad in pirate attire raced between the interlaced branches. Their speed was barely altered by their troublesome surrounding – they really didn't care if they got a few cuts right now – as they shot through the low-hanging branches, the drooping vines, and the snagging bushes.

Behind them, maybe 50 yards off, were their pursuers: two men swathed in dark blue cloaks, each with a howling Mighteyena's leash in one hand and a machete in the other. They were hacking their way through the wilder parts of Petalburg woods, trying to keep up with their limber young prey.

The two figures in front suddenly reached a sheer cliff, maybe six feet high, that ran as far as they could see in both directions. The first and shorter of the two figures slammed a fist against the unmoving stone, apparently distraught at the situation. Beside him, his companion looked deep in concentration, staring at his own hand. Slowly, a small orb of blinding blue light erupted from his palm. With a quick thrust, he projected his sphere of luminous energy towards to cliff face.

Their pursuers arrived, red faced, just in time to see the fireworks. The wall exploded, making it perfectly climbable, and the first two figures slipped up as the second pair watched in disbelief. One pulled out a radio, and dragged it slowly up to his head.

"Hikizari here, making emergency report: intruder has displayed Aura capacity. We are in pursuit. Repeat: one intruder has displayed Aura capacity. We are in pursuit, over." He snapped the transmitter back onto his belt then, and turned to face his partner. Judging by the look of mingled fear and confusion that currently nested upon his face, Hikizari judged that his subordinate was just as worried as he was. With a final look at the shattered wall, he grabbed his radio again, and brought it once again to his face, with a deep sigh. "Hikizari here. Requesting backup from further in. We've lost the intruders, over."

With a guilty sigh of relief, he turned and walked off, not even bothering to see if his partner had accompanied him. He didn't want to be anywhere near an Aura user, not even inside a jungle.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The two figures in the lead, peeking out from behind the thick trunk of a Cedar tree, breathed a tandem sigh of relief as their pursuers walked off. Both of them took a seat on a nearby collapsed tree for a quick respite. The first of the two wore a black bandana around his wild mane of neck-length black hair, and a puffy-sleeved black shirt that wouldn't have seemed out of place several years ago. On his legs were a pair of baggy jeans, and his feet were encased in floppy brown boots.

Sitting next to him, a boy with straight black hair that only came down to the bottom of his forehead sat, looking at his hand and trying, it seemed to copy the motions his companion had used when summoning up the sphere of pure energy. This boy was dressed similarly to his companion, with the exception of his bandana-less head. "Ash, how did you do that?" He asked his friend, dropping his hand to his side after several more unsuccessful summonings.

"Do what?" Ash replied evasively.

"You know, that sphere-thing. That looked almost like some Pokemon move."

Ash sighed, and sat up further. Casting a quick look around their surrounding, he said, in a whisper, "You can never tell this to anyone. Agreed?"

"S-sure, Ash. Why so serious?" His companion stuttered.

"That sphere I blasted," he began, ignoring his partner's query, "was a physical manifestation of Aura, the power behind all Pokemon attacks."

Next to him, a pair of black eyes widened in shock. "What…?"

"It means, Albert, that I am able to take one of the most powerful forces in the universe and harness it to do my bidding, just like the heroes of old."

Albert gasped. "Just like Sir Aaron, from the ancient walls of history!" a pause - "Do you have any idea how amazing this is, Ash? You are the successor of Sir Aaron! That's amazing! Amazing!"

"Uh, yeah. Pretty much." Ash replied, at a loss for words.

"There's no way you'll lose May now – any girl'd take someone with Aura abilities! Hell, even I'd be interested if I were a girl." Albert admitted. "You have the chance of a lifetime, Ash – you can discover endlessly more about the powers that keep this universe safe – you're a scientist's dream, and a historian's best subject! I have total dibs on your biography, 'k?"

Silence enshrouded the log on which they sat.

Ash got up quickly after a while. "Well… I guess we should… get going."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. You've got the world to save, after all." Albert said, a great deal of respect in his voice.

"You're not going anywhere, you big hero boy." A voice said, seeming to assault their ears from all sides.

"Show yourself!" Ash demanded.

A deep, hearty laugh rang out across the forest. "And why should I do that? So that I can be hit by your Aura abilities? I don't think so. Instead, I'll just challenge you to a Pokemon battle. If you accept, I'll reveal myself."

"I accept."

A man swathed in black leapt from behind Ash, onto the other end of the log that Albert still occupied. "A good decision, boy!" He roared. "I bet you didn't think you'd see me again, but now… you get to!" He swooshed his arms out from his body in a vampire-esque way, revealing the strange wing-like flaps between his arms and his sides. From the back of his costume hung a stinger tipped tail, and a mask with thin red snow cone eyeballs and gigantic, bat like ears was perched atop his head.

Ash gave the man a confused one-over. "Uh, sorry, I'm not recognizing you." The trainer admitted sheepishly. "Did I visit you at a nursing home, or something?" He added, noticing the man's girth, and wrinkled countenance.

"You fail to recognize me?" The man demanded, outraged. "I'm Gliscorman, formerly known as Gligarman!" He struck a heroic pose.

"You know this guy?" Albert questioned in a whisper.

"Well, he did get Misty, Brock and I to help him out once or twice... but I don't really know him, no."

"Are you two plotting out of the hearing range of Gliscorman? Speak up - the ears on the mask are not the real things!" Chuckling, he leapt off of the log, landing on a nearby stump. Nearly falling, he frantically waved his flabby arms to regain his balance. From out of a pocket on his wing, he pulled a Pokeball.

"We weren't saying anything, old man." Albert snapped - he was not a fan of costumed superheroes, as it later turned out. (This is where I stopped writing a year ago, just FYI. Can y'all tell?)

Ash didn't reply - he had picked up on the Pokeball almost immediately, and had one of his own out of his pocket in no time. "Go, Staraptor!" he yelled, his trademark battle grin spreading across his face as he tossed his Pokeball gently up into the air.

In a flash of light, the sphere exploded, releasing a black and white bird Pokemon into the air. "Starrr-eee!" the pokemon crowed, stretching its wings as it flew for the first time in a long while.

The strangely dressed man decided to even out the Pokemon count: "Then I'll choose Gligar!" A odd, purple flying scorpion-thing with wings emerged from Gliscorman's custom purple Pokeball, and let out a wail as it began to stare Staraptor down, whilst stretching the deadly stinger at the end of its tail.

"I'll go first – Age and beauty over youth and homeliness, after all!" Gliscorman bellowed cheerfully. His cheerful demeanor seemed to slide off of him, as his face hardened, and his eyes intensified. "Gligar, Swords Dance!"

The Pokemon began spinning sickening loops in midair, swinging its tail around haphazardly. It stopped with a cry and a glare, and it twitched with newfound aggression.

Ash didn't back down. "Staraptor, go in for a Take Down!" His bird straightened itself out and shot itself towards the purple scorpion-bat. With a sickening crunch, contact was made, and Gligar was sent spiraling backwards into a tree. It slid halfway to the ground before it was able to regain control of its wings ad lift itself back into the free air.

Gliscorman scowled. "Gligar, use Rock Slide!" A screech emitted from the Gligar, its pitch first raising and lowering, until it settled on a high whine. The sound intensified, and behind Ash and Albert an avalanche began, roaring down the side of the rocky cliff towards Staraptor.

"Block the rocks with Brave Bird!" Ash crowed, unflinching in the face of the avalanche. With a cry, his Pokemon flew towards the tumbling boulders, and with superhuman speed, shattered them all with its strong talons.

"Now Gligar, strike while he's weak! Poison Jab!" Gliscorman imitated the attack as he jumped off of his perch and swung his stuffed tail at a stump on the way down, giving a satisfied "Ah-hah!" at contact.

The Pokemon's attack did a significantly larger amount of damage. Staraptor, caught off guard after its feat of self-exertion, was his by a Swords Danced-Poison Jab. The sickly purple hand made a loud cracking sound on contact as it broke the skin and loosed its deadly toxins on the bird's immune system.

With a wail, Staraptor fell to the ground, blood mingled with poison dripping from its wound. "Damn!" Ash growled. "Staraptor, return!" The bird shook its head gravely. With a tremor, it rose from the ground and into the air again. "That's the way to do it Staraptor!" Cheered Ash.

"Can you really let your Pokemon continue to battle in such a condition?" Gliscorman asked incredulously. "You realize it'll faint in no time at this rate, especially with the stark distance between my attack and your defense."

"Don't get cocky just because you hit my Pokemon once – Staraptor's used to your movements now. You won't hit him again."

Gliscorman gave a laugh. "Boy, I've undergone serious training to join this organization. I'll never lose to just a trainer now, not with the depth to which I have trained."

"Geez, that was redundant…" Albert whispered to himself. He didn't like poor grammar at all, and always had to point it out to someone if he noticed it.

"Just try and land a hit on my Pokemon then." Ash said, a grin spreading across his face. "You're not the only person that's been in intensive training. Staraptor, Aerial Ace!"

The Pokemon moved so fast that it looked as if it had simply disappeared and re-appeared behind Gligar. Its eyes seemed to glow as it prepared to enact revenge upon the Pokemon that had shamed it. Suddenly, the bird pokemon froze up, a look of pain crossing its face – the poison had begun taking its toll. Gligar took no time in flying out of the way.

"That move is actually pretty common." Gliscorman crowed. "But Pokemon that can use it as well as my Gligar? Not so common. Gligar, show him YOUR Aerial Ace!"

The purple Pokemon disappeared. So did Staraptor. They engaged each other in a deadly high-speed duel, appearing and disappearing all throughout the woods.

"This move can't miss, boy." Gliscorman said gravely. "One of our Pokemon will be taken down."

"Yeah, I realize that." Ash said calmly. "Just watch—your pokemon will be crawling on the ground in maybe 20 seconds tops."

"Watch your tongue in front of Gliscorman, boy! He might bite it off!"

"Would you just cut the Gliscor-guy crap already?" Albert bellowed. "I can't STAND costumed superheroes!"

"Gliscorman spun to face Albert, surprised. "When did you get here? Are you with me, or with him?"

Ash spun to face Albert at the question. He nonchalantly tilted his head towards Gliscorman. Albert gave the tiniest of discernible nods. "I'm with you," he said, "and the guys back at base say to finish this up and bring in the boy."

It was at this moment that Gligar was defeated, True to Ash's word. Staraptor alighted on the unconscious Gligar. "Staaar!" It crowed victoriously.

Glisgorman's mouth frowned underneath his mask. Silently he raised his Pokeball and recalled his pokemon, giving the Pokeball a tender caress as he tucked it back into his wing pocket. From the other wing he drew a second Pokeball. "Time for you, Gliscor." He murmered, before reverting to his old pompous self. "This pokeball brings your demise, boy. There's no way for your pokemon to remain conscious with my Gliscor on the field. He threw the pokeball out into the air. It eploded open, hurling ou red light that took the shape of a dark purple bat-like creature with strange eyes and a scorpion-like tail.

"Staraptor, return! You did a good job, but it's time to take a rest now!" Ash called. His pokemon allowed itself to be immersed in the crimson light of Ash's pokeball. Slowly it became light itself, and was withdrawn into the pokeball. Ash put it back into his over-the-shoulder pirate bag, and withdrew two more Pokeballs. "This Pokemon will prevent me from experiencing the demise that yours will bring." He said, trying to mimic Gliscorman's dramatic introduction. Al laughed as Gliscorman's mouth folded again into a frown. "I choose you, Noctowl!"

Thus time, a glittering Owl with large eyebrows and golden wings leapt from Ash's Pokeball. It fixed Gliscor with a massive frown, and stretched its wings and impressie talons to prepare for battle. "Nohooohooo!" It hooted, a battle ready squing crossing its face. As Gliscorman watched Noctowl's emergence, Ash dropped the second Pokeball he had wirhdrawn, and kicked it gently across the forest floor where it came to rest at Al's feet. Silently, Al bent over and picked it up, placing it in his pocket and shooting Ash a quizzical look.

Ash gave him a pointed look and a shrug before returning to his battle. "I'll open it up this time, Gliscorman." Before the man could respond, Ash had issued his order. "Noctowl, use Aerial Ace!"

"Trying to use my move against me yet again, boy? Well then, feel free to beat your head against the impurturbable wall that is my Gliscor!"

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May walked up the path that led to the forest, Pikachu now sitting atop her shoulder. She absently petted the top of his head, running her hands down one ear, and then the other. The pokemon was making quiet, aporeciative coos as it was massaged. All in all, it was a deceptively calm picture. She came to the end of the trail, just past Mr Briney's house, when something vaught her eye. A group of men dressed as pirates and armed with wooden cutlasses and toy blunderbuss' seemed to be staging a mock-battle just outside the forest's entrance.

She watched with vague amusement for a moment before she remembered why she was there - she had a boy to track down, and q boy to yell at, and a boy to hug to death... And they were all the same person. She scanned the audience and then the surrounding are for the messy black hair that would give Ash away in any setting, but her search proved fruitless. She was just walking away to search further up the trail and along the beach when a strange sight caught her eye - two more 'pirates' were dragged out of the forest, and roughly thrown out into the crowd that was watching. The dusted themselves off with dignity, and one turned to join in the mock-battle. The other man caught his shoulder, however, and turned him - they both now stared at May for a brief second before they beckoned her over. May walked over to them reluctantly, her grip tightening on Pikachu's ear.

"You wouldn't happen to know a Pokemon trainer named Ash, would you?" The taller of the two asked, absently running a hand down his long nose and into his neck-length black hair.

"You're right, he did mention something about a girlfriend with a bandanna... But did he ever specifically say the she wore it on her head?" The second one asked.

"I know him!" May gasped, interrupting their dialogue.

"So did we." The shorter one remarked as he removed his hat and held it to his chest.

May's heart froze at the man's gesture. "What... Why are you doing that?" She asked quietly, tentatively, as her heart split in two and slid down the insides of her legs to rest somewhere in the balls of her feet.

The taller, black-haired man smacked his companion. "What he is trying to say," the man said sardonically, "is that we lost the boy in the forest, and got captured while trying to find him again."

"Pika?"

"Yoy better believe it, Mr Mouse." The shorter man said, poking Pikachu on the nose. "Perhaps we can grab a seat on yonder bench and explain to you and you pretty perch-" he indicated May, "about our albatross."

"pika!" the mouse nodded enthusiastically. silently, May followed the two men to the bench silently, sat down, and faced them, her face set. "Tell me, what happened to Ash? And what does 'albatross' mean?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Costumed Conundrums and the Twin Spirit Stone

(Dedicated to Superhulk2007 for kindly prompting me to continue, and that other guy that prompted me not so kindly. XD Both were a huge help.)

Shouldn't take this long next time. I've got some of the stuff that was holding me back from this cleared up, so expect a faster update for chapter 3.

* * *

"Well then," the shorter pirate said, "I guess we'd better start our story."

The taller pirate spoke. "No, I think it would be better if we started with our names, just to give her an added sense of trust. You haven't really conveyed yourself as credible up to this point, after all. Now, tell her your name, Spaulding."

Spaulding glared. "I think you just gave it away, Rickman, but don't let that stop you from telling her your own."

"Why you slimy little--oh, I'll get you for your cheek!" Rickman howled.

May sat awkwardly as the pirates argued yelled, and began to release profanities the likes of which she had never heard. It was when they started pulling hair (Spaulding's hand was tangled in Rickman's long, greasy black locks, and Rickman was tearing away at Spaulding's beard) that May felt the time for intervention had come. "Okay, stop it! Aren't you grown men?"

The two pirates froze. May continued, "And I don't really have time for you and your fights - I need to find Ash."

"Which brings us back to our story." Spaulding noted.

"And our names." Rickman snapped sarcastically. The two men leapt at each other, until--

Slap!

May had hit them each in the face, tears now beginning to drip down her face. "Just tell me where Ash is." She choked.

"Oh, here." Rickman said, shame in his voice. His hand ducked into his pocket and he withdrew a radio. "Ash is on the other end of this walkie-talkie-thingy. He's still in the forest, and he's looking for an item or group of items of great value."

"Give me that!" May snatched at the radio. Rickman, however, jerked it out of her reach.

"Sorry, but it's not for you." He glowered. "We can't have a sappy conversation be the thing that gets our captain or Ash in trouble."

Pikachu glared at Rickman, sparks beginning to erupt from his cheeks. "Pikaaa..." He growled.

The pirate gulped. "Please control your mouse, he's getting a bit hostile...!"

"He's ASH'S, and he's not a mouse - he's a powerful Pikachu. In fact, he's been known to send people flying into the sky at a single Thunderbolt..." May said quite calmly, staring the two right in the eyes.

Thy recoiled slightly. "Maybe we should give her a radio, on second thought." Rickman murmured, his eyes wide.

"Or we could take her into the forest with us as her guards..." Spaulding suggested, giving Rickman a nonchalant nudge. "And that way, she'd always be near the radio in case an emergency occurs."

"That would work..." Rickman mused.

"...Fine." May conceded. "But let's leave NOW."

"That would also work," the surprisingly timid Rickman muttered, "I'll lead the way..."

* * *

Gliscorman had stopped his unnecessary speech as soon as he had seen Noctowl's speed. The Owl's aerial prowess was amazing, to say the least. It had command of thermals, updrafts, and even the smallest breeze. Gliscor was fighting a losing battle, and Gliscorman could see it.

His hand stole into the his pocket for a third time. Now, however, he withdrew a luminous, green shard of stone. He threw it into the air. It spun and wobbled lazily as it started its flight, then peaked. As it began to descend, it accelerated at a ridiculous rate. It sank into Gliscor's back, causing the Pokémon to emit a brief cry.

Shocked, Noctowl froze to see what had happened.

Gliscor fell to the ground, and rolled around like a dying fish for a few seconds before it lay completely still.

Suddenly, a blinding green light erupted from where the Pokémon lay. Ash flinched and looked the other way, but he could hear Gliscorman laughing. "The real battle begins now, boy!" He crowed.

Ash spun back around as the light suddenly receded. The Gliscor, which was in the air again, had eyes that glowed a brilliant green. Its trainer's eyes also emanated the sickly green glow.

"Futaemugen." Gliscorman said. "That's what I've done to Gliscor and myself. Now we're more of a team than you could ever handle!"

"I'm not sure how your glowing eyes are going to help you out against my Noctowl," Ash mused, "unless you plan on hiding until it gets dark."

"Oh, they'll help in more than one way." Gligarman chuckled. "For instance; Gliscor, use Aerial Ace." A flash of green; a piercing cry; a thump. Noctowl had been reduced to unconsciousness at a moment's notice.

"Return, Noctowl." Ash said through gritted teeth. His hand strayed to his pirate bandolier's pokeball pouch: only two Pokémon remained. Noctowl had been defeated. Charizard and Pikachu were with May, and Bulbasaur, he realized slowly, had been unaccounted for ever since his vision of Arceus. Staraptor was tired, and that left only one Pokémon for him to use. He gripped its ball tightly in his gloved hand, and withdrew it from his pouch.

"I choose you!" He called, throwing the Pokeball into the air. It opened; his Pidgeot materialized.

It was unconscious.

"What? I haven't used Pidgeot at all!" He yelled, suddenly worried. "Pidgeot, are you okay? Are you sick?" There was no reply as he lifted the limp Pokémon off the ground.

A chuckle came from Gliscorman's direction. "What did you do?" Ash bellowed, fury etching his features.

"One of the effects of the Futaemugen, or Two-Vision stone, is that it automatically defeats two conscious Pokémon that the opponent has with them. Obviously, your Pidgeot was one of them."

"But that means that I've only got Staraptor!" Ash's hand whipped back down to his last Pokeball. "Staraptor, I choose you!"

Staraptor too came out cataleptic, frozen in a position of pain. "What?" Ash yelled. "I thought you said that your stupid green rock only defeated two Pokémon!"

"It did only defeat two of your Pokémon. Gliscor defeated the other." Gliscorman crowed.

"Liar! Gliscor never even moved!"

Gliscorman shrugged. "Gliscor," he asked, "would you bring me Mr. Ketchum's hat?" The resulting movement was almost undetectable. Ash felt a gust of wind at his hair, blinked, and--

Gliscorman stood across from him as he had been only seconds before. But now, Ash's hat was in his hand. "Thank you." Gliscorman said to his Pokémon. "Now, use Aerial Ace on the hat." The super villain tossed the cap into the air. Within an instant it was in several pieces, before it had even begun the downward half of its flight.

"My hat!" Ash growled. His fists clenched. "My Pokémon!" he growled again. He began to run at Gliscorman.

"Damn it, Ash!" Al yelled. He slide-tackled Ash, knocking his feet out from under him. "Go, Jolteon, Flareon, Leafeon, Espeon, Glaceon, and Umbreon! Use Thunderbolt, Flamethrower, Energy Ball, Psychic, Ice Beam and Dark Pulse!" he yelled, throwing his own multi-colored Pokeballs into the air. All six Pokémon exploded from their spherical containers and released their attacks. Though they were relatively weak individually, the six Pokémon combined their attacks in a wide spread and managed to catch the ultra-fast Gliscor on the tip of its wing.

"Gliscor, you can take it!" Gliscorman yelled.

Gliscor's wind told a different story. The area that had been hit seemed to have iced over in a heavy silvery rock. The Pokémon fell to the ground immediately.

"That'll buy us some time." Al whispered. He called back his Pokémon and pulled Ash to his feet. The two ran off.

"Crap," Ash said as he jogged, "I didn't think we'd mess the plan up this early on."

"Should we let ourselves get thrown out of the forest?" Al asked. "Your Pokémon do seem to be in a bit of a tough spot."

"Hmm," Ash mused, "It'd be bad if the guy who authored the plan got tossed out, but on the other hand maybe I should hop out for the Pokémon Center while I still have the chance..." He stuck his hands in his pockets and shuffled his feet, slowing his jog to a walk. His hand, inside his pocket, closed around a pokeball. Shocked, he pulled it out of his jacket. In his hand sat a purple and white sphere marked with a bright white capital M.

"A master ball?" Al queried.

Ash's memories flew back through his mind. A grin crossed his face. "I know I'd wanted to get this guy to Kurt as soon as possible, but... using him once or twice isn't THAT bad, is it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm staying in the forest. We'll see what that green stone can do to us now!"

* * *

May could have sworn she'd heard Ash yell. She crashed through the underbrush at a terrifying speed, pursued by her pirate companions. Pikachu, on her shoulder, was pointing to where the sound of Ash's voice had come from, directing her as she ran.

he stopped abruptly. The clearing in front of her seemed to glow with an unnatural greenish-brown light. It seemed to come from the very leaves themselves, getting more intense as May walked towards the clearing's center. She stopped. She felt a light brush of wind at her back, like a gently whispered promise. Her head whipped around-- there was nothing.

"Aha!" Came a voice from the trees. A man, with eyes glowing the same color as the clearing, clad in a ridiculous costume, leapt from a high-up branch and landed hard on his knees.

May gave a subconscious giggle. Embarrassed, her hand went to her hair. Her bandanna was gone. Immediately she began to cast her eyes across the surrounding area, searching the glowing green surroundings for her prized emerald bandanna.

"Looking for this?" the ridiculous man asked. His hand held her bandanna.

Rickman and Spaulding ran up and froze. "Wh-when did he get your bandanna?" a bewildered Rickman asked.

The strange man snapped. Again, May felt the strange gust. Her eyes flew back to the man. In his other hand he now held Rickman's hat and Spaulding's belt. (Spaulding was now furiously clutching at his pants.)

"How are you doing that?" May asked, her voice quavering.

The man, who seemed to be dressed as a Pokémon May could vaguely recall, gave an arrogant chuckle and a smirk. "Gliscor, why don't we answer that for her?"

A Pokémon appeared in front of the man. It was the spitting image of the man's strange costume. "Fighting for truth!" the man yelled. He leapt off of the ground and onto his Pokémon's back. "Fighting for justice!" he yelled again, as his Pokémon took off into the air. "And fighting for the freedom of all, whether Pokémon or human!" The Pokémon hovered in midair and the slowly rose to a standing position. "I am Gliscorman!" He leapt from the Pokémon's back and hit the ground hard again. His knees made audible popping noises.

May and the pirates stared incredulously. Nobody spoke.

"...and I'm taking your stuff with my speedy Pokémon." Gliscorman finished lamely.

"Oh geez," Rickman groaned, "I can't STAND people who run around in stupid costumes."

"Yeah, just give me my belt back and go get some serious help!" Spaulding yelled, one hand still holding his pants up.

"What the heck?" Gliscorman yelled, pointing his fingers at the two of them. "You're dressed as freaking PIRATES, and you're telling ME to get help?"

"Hey, this is our job!" Spaulding retorted.

"Yeah, we aren't some old farts who want to run around and pop our knees while dressed as a Pokémon and tormenting little girls!" Rickman bellowed.

"You're the guys who were FOLLOWING her! I've never met someone with so much nerve! Go find a girlfriend or something and stop tailing little girls!" Gliscorman yelled, tears of rage beginning to drip from his glowing eyes.

"I'm not little!" May interjected. She was ignored.

"Dude, you're in your fifties, dressed as a Pokémon, and running around with glowing green eyes! Who's the one that needs to get a girlfriend? Huh?"

"Yeah!" Rickman agreed, "and what the hell is with your costume's eyes? They look like cherry-flavored snow cones!"

"Well you look like a pirate!" Gliscorman screamed. Everybody froze.

"Yeah, that's the point." Rickman and Spaulding said in unison.

"Screw you guys!" Gliscorman roared as he ran at the two, "I'munna take you down!" He leapt at Rickman first and slapped him in the arm.

"A slap?" Rickman laughed, "You fight like a girl!" He punched Gliscorman in the face, sending the man sprawling.

Gliscorman's glowing eyes flashed. "Why don't you look at your slap wound?" he jeered.

Rickman rolled up his sleeve. A large, dark bruise, in the shape of a hand, covered his bicep. "Arceus, father of Pokémon…" he swore in amazement. Gliscorman stood up and put his hand on Rickman's shoulder. "It's okay, you'll get over it." he took his hand off of Rickman's shoulder and gave it a soft tap.

Rickman howled in pain. He tore off his shirt to look at another large bruise to the left of his neck. "How are you doing this to me?" he asked frantically.

Gliscorman chuckled. "Futaemugen. it doesn't only help the Pokémon." With a punch he floored Rickman.

"What's Futaemugen?" Rickman groaned from the ground, a bruise in the shape of a fist now adorning his face.

Instead of replying, Gliscorman picked Rickman up by the throat and lifted him into the air. "Do you see my eyes glow with power? Do you feel the bruises I inflict with just a touch? Con you even grasp the speed or my Pokémon? That is Futaemugen. Futaemugen is power."

Rickman struggled briefly, then lost consciousness. Gliscorman dropped him. The pirate's neck bore a purple hand-shaped bruise.

"What do we do?" Spaulding fearfully asked May.

"What can we do," she replied, "but use our Pokémon? I'll clean this guy up quick."


End file.
